Fate's Game: Redux
by Cloud802
Summary: Matou Zouken is a desperate parasite clinging to life. With the destruction of the Grail in the Fifth Grail War, he has one last chance to get what he wants. A remake of Fate's Game, since it did not age well. Takes place a month after Fate. Shirou/Saber
1. Chapter 1

"Then surely, if you close your eyes, the dream will continue."

Arturia took a deep breath, leaning further into the tree, as if to let it embrace her. Despite the remnants of the battlefield around her, the air felt fresh. There was a slight tinge of fire and soot, but it had been long enough for her to not be overpowered by the stench of death and war. "Thank you, Bedivere," she said softly. "Can I ask you a small favor?"

"Yes, anything."

"I want you to return my sword. It's done what it came here to do, and it would be a shame to see it rust along with me."

"I will do this."

Arturia nodded and smiled, letting her eyes fall closed, "Good."

Bedivere knew not what she saw in her final moments, in her final dream, but it brought a smile to her face, and that was good enough for him. After a moment, she went still. He knelt down and took Excalibur from her grip, then looked at her one last time.

The magic that Merlin had bestowed upon her to disguise her had fallen away, and Bedivere could not help but be stunned by her beauty. He reached out, hesitant. After a moment, he nodded to himself, then gently undid her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders. "The least I can do," he said, bowing to her one final time, "is listen to your final request, but allow me to be selfish as well, and let my King die with her true face."

There was no response, but Bedivere hoped that she would see the purity of his actions.

He called his steed, mounted, and rode one final time to see the Lady of the Lake.

 **Chapter 1: Affinity**

Rin Tohsaka had made herself at home in the Emiya household. In fact, she found herself starting to feel more comfortable there than at the old mansion her father had left to her. In the middle of her new room, in the one wooden chair afforded to her, sat Shirou. He looked nervous, and she was tempted to tease him for a moment, but they had important work to do.

At that moment Rin was digging through her bag and a small chest, pulling out various supplies. Candles, incense, matches, jewels, chalk, and many other random items that Shirou knew she was going to make use of for what they were about to do. "My dad never did this," he said.

"That's because he was a terrible teacher," grumbled Rin.

Shirou frowned. He could not rebuke her.

"Oh don't make that face," she said, tossing a small jewel at his head while he wasn't looking. "I didn't say he was a bad father. In many ways he was better than mine. It's just that as far as teaching you magic goes, he fell short. From what you've told me, and what we've garnered from the Holy Grail War and that fake priest, it was probably fear that was holding him back."

"Fear?"

"Yeah. You said he was happy when you said you would live his dream, but he was probably afraid that you'd end up like him. It's hard to say whether or not what he did was right, but as far as the Grail goes..."

"Yeah," said Shirou, "Even though it caused that fire... I can't say it was completely wrong. I'm glad that we didn't cause another one when we did it."

"Well," said Rin, grunting and shuffling around her bag some more, "Maybe we were a bit more thorough. There were a lot of different circumstances involved when we went to destroy it. We all knew that it wasn't a good thing for one... ah, here it is," she pulled one more candle from the bag, "It's lucky none of these got broken while I was moving."

"It's hard to believe it's already been a month," said Shirou.

"Uh huh." Rin stood, gathering the candles and the chalk. She drew a circle around the chair he was in, "Now, don't move an inch, got it? If you break this line we have to start all over."

"Got it."

She set the candles at even intervals, and started lighting them all one by one. "Normally consecration can be done with some tarot reading and asking you a few questions, but this is a trick my father taught me. It's a bit more accurate, and since I can't find my deck at the moment we'll have to make do." After all the candles were lit she stood straight with one still in her hand. "Take off your shirt."

"What?" Shirou's face reddened, "But..."

Rin felt blood rising to her cheeks as well, "Just do it you idiot! Don't make this any more awkward than it already is."

Rin walked to her desk and put some of the incense she had gathered into a small vase. She lit it and turned off the lamp that was lighting the room, returning to Shirou just as he had removed his shirt. "Now I want you to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and lean forward. This is going to sting, but you'll have to bear with it."

She lit the candle in her hands and held it over his back, tipping it slightly. "Show me," she said softly. The first bit of wax dripped onto Shirou's back, causing him to flinch slightly. The next one surprised him less, and he was ready for any that came after that.

After ten drops she withdrew the candle. She ran a small amount of mana through her hand and pushed her index finger against the back of Shirou's neck. He felt a warm tingling sensation run down his spine. The candles were blown out and a light blue glow filled the room. Rin dipped down, looking closely at the glowing lines of wax on Shirou's back. After a few minutes she let out a sigh and turned to her desk, flicking the lamp back on, "No results," she said simply, digging a towel out of her bag and tossing it to Shirou.

As he wiped his back off and put his shirt on he raised an eyebrow, "Wait, what's the mean?"

"It means that further testing is unnecessary. I'm not good enough at Consecration to take this any further. In a practical sense it could mean several things. You probably have an affinity that's not a part of the five main elements, or if you're lucky you're like me, a jack of all trades."

"So... this means?"

Rin sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "It means we're going to have to wing it. Not my favorite approach, but if we can't pin down your affinity we have to throw stuff at the wall until something sticks. It would help if you had the Emiya magic crest," she said through gritted teeth, digging her fist into the back of his head.

"Ow! It's not my fault he didn't give it to me."

"His affinity may have been completely different from yours, especially since you were adopted, but it would have at least given us a starting point. Oh well," she said with a shrug, "Since when has life ever been easy?" She started to pack the items up and erased the outline on the ground with her foot, "I'll mop this up later. We need to start opening your magic circuits as well. Right now you can't even project without damaging yourself. I'll buy some more incense and get some jewels tomorrow. If we start doing daily therapy by running mana through your unused circuits, you should be able to use them in about a week."

Shirou sighed, "Wish I could have done all this before, maybe then..."

"Hey," said Rin softly, laying her hands on his shoulders, "What did I say about blaming yourself for Saber? She wouldn't want you beating yourself up like this."

"Yeah, I know. It's just a stray thought I have sometimes."

"Shirou... you can't save everyone. Unless you accept that, you'll break yourself. You can still be a hero, but don't push yourself too hard, okay? There are people here who care about you, and they don't want to see you hurt."

Shirou smirked, "So you care about me, huh?"

Rin's face went red, and she pulled her hands back, "I... idiot! I was talking about Sakura, and... and Illya!"

"Right," he said with a laugh. "I've actually been thinking about it a lot lately. My ideal isn't perfect, but I'm still going to follow it. If I stray from that path, or fall while I'm walking..." He stood from the chair and turned to face Rin, "You'll all be there to pick me up."

Rin brought a hand to her face, attempting to cover her blush, "Just don't go tripping over your own feet," she muttered.

* * *

That evening Shirou decided to take a walk outside, and he found himself under the warmth of the sun. It would be Spring soon, which meant the sakura would be in bloom. He remembered promising everyone they would go and see them, so he had to make plans. For now, however, he decided to simply sit on the edge of the deck just as he used to do with Kiritsugu.

He sat like that for what must have been at least ten minutes before feeling a tug on the collar of his shirt. He turned to see bright red eyes, and a mischievous smile. "May I join you Onii-chan?"

"Sure, Illya."

She sat next to him, letting her legs dangle off the edge.

"I want to tell you a story," she said softly.

Shirou smiled, "Really now? And what's the story about?"

She giggled, "A princess."

"Alright then. We've got some time until dinner, let's hear it."

Illya smiled and tilted her head. "Alright then. Long ago, there was a Princess who lived in a castle, and her father, the king, showered her with love and affection. One day, a great General came to the castle and said that a war was starting. The king, ever dutiful to his people, would fight on the front lines of this war. He turned towards the Princess, and with a smile asked, 'Can you wait for me?' The Princess knew he would come back, so she agreed wholeheartedly."

"So what happened?"

Illya grinned, "The king never returned. He was killed in battle."

Shirou frowned, "That's not really a story you should be telling."

"I know, but isn't it interesting?" She jumped down from the hall and landed on the ground, kicking up dirt as she twirled around to face Shirou. "If it makes you feel any better, the Princess got a happy ending, but that's a different story."

Shirou nodded and stood up as well, "That's good to know." He ruffled her hair and turned to walk back into the house.

"Hey Shirou..."

He stopped.

Illya continued, "Be careful, okay? Worms burrow deep underground, and they're hard to kill."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, turning to face her.

"Hopefully nothing," she said, "But keep it in mind."

"Okay... thanks. Let's go eat."

She nodded, "Let's."

* * *

A small cabin in the woods, with a shining red light bursting through the windows. In the center of a circle of light was a tall woman with long black hair and a neatly trimmed suit.

"Well, that went about as well as expected." Her thick british accent echoed through the almost empty cabin.

Lillian Grey eyed the summoning circle she had laid in the middle of the floor.

When she got the letter in the mail she had been surprised to say the least. It had been from Matou Zouken himself, the head of the Matou family. Despite the Grail War ending with another botch, he claimed that another was on the horizon, and so soon after the fifth.

It was unheard of, yet there she was, performing the summoning ritual.

She did not know what she had expected. After all, it was abnormal that the fifth war had taken place a mere ten years after the fourth. To think that the sixth would be a month after... it was ludicrous, to say the least.

Against her better judgement she had drawn the circle, obtained a catalyst, and even went through all the effort of building a custom chant. The circle had activated, yes, but there was no servant in sight. "I suppose that's it then," she muttered to herself, sitting on the floor and tossing her hair behind her head. "Last time I take the words of an old fool so literally. If the council saw me falling for this farce they would expel me."

"I would not count your chickens before they are hatched, my dear."

Lillian sat up, "Who's there?"

"Haha! Who is there, indeed?"

Just as she was about to speak again, the window of the cabin shattered from the outside as a projectile flew through it. The cold wind of the night flowed in immediately. Lillian wrapped her arms around herself and looked up. Crouching on the recently broken window sill was a man in a green cloak. A hood was hiding the top half of his face, but she could clearly see the smirk beneath that. "Good evening. I do believe you've called me."

Lillian laughed under her breath, "I'll be damned. You're bloody marvelous."

The man laughed and jumped into the cabin, trotting to his new master as he spread his arms out, "You and me, my dear, we shall take on the world, and we will win."

"I assume you're an Archer?"

The man scoffed, "THE Archer."

Lillian nodded and extended her hand, "My name is Lillian Grey. If you'll allow me to pack my things, we have a long trip ahead of us."

Archer took her hand and shook it firmly. "Robin of the Hood. I will be in your care."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N:Small edit to maintain consistency with where Berserker was summoned._

 **Chapter 2: Guardian**

Atop the hill he stood, staring out at the horizon. He could not see past the swords that surrounded him, that had made his world. In the sky, gears turned infinitely with no source of power in sight. They turned as if pushed by a divine will. The air was thick with smoke and steam. The sun and sky were blood red.

Atop the hill he stood, staring out at the horizon.

He could hear the screams of the crowd, baying for his blood. He could hear the noose as it pulled tight, and he could feel the pressure on his neck.

Even though it was supposed to be quick he found himself unable to breathe. Even though it was supposed to snap his neck he found it suffocating him.

He was not angry.

He was not sad.

Rather, he felt nothing. As his life ebbed away, and all that he had ever accomplished was discarded with the wind, he felt absolutely nothing.

As his vision darkened he tried to look ahead.

He tried to look ahead towards a future he knew did not belong to him.

Atop the hill he stood, staring out at the horizon.

Then he saw her, her golden hair flowing in the wind. He saw her turn to him and smile.

He felt the noose loosen. The crowd became deathly quiet.

The gears fell from the sky, and the blood red clouds became white.

He looked down and saw her sword.

He reached out and grasped it as tightly as he could, pulling it from the ground.

The final gear fell, and the air was clear.

"Guh..."

Shirou Emiya rolled over in his futon, nausea assaulting him as he woke from a strange dream he couldn't quite recall. He felt his stomach churn as he sat up and swallowed back the bile that threatened to rise. 'What the hell is this?' he thought. Had he eaten something strange? Maybe he had forgotten to check the expiration dates again. He sat for a minute, taking a few deep breaths. After a while the feeling left him, and it was as if nothing had been wrong in the first place.

"Weird," he muttered to himself.

A knock sounded on the door of his room. "Senpai, are you awake?"

"Yeah, just gimme a minute." Shirou stood and walked to the door, sliding it open slightly, "Morning, Sakura."

Sakura smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Good morning. Breakfast is ready."

Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose. "Crap. I slept in, sorry."

Sakura giggled and shook her head, "Don't worry Senpai, it's nothing. I like cooking for you, and now Nee-s... Tohsaka senpai is here too."

Shirou raised an eyebrow. Had she just called Rin...

"Eh? What was that?"

Her face reddened, "It's... it's nothing. I'll meet you in the living room." Before he could say anything else she had already retreated down the hall. Shirou shrugged and started to gather the pieces of his school uniform from his drawer, deciding to think about it later.

When he got to the living room Taiga and Rin were already seated at the table, and he could see Sakura shuffling around in the kitchen. Taiga had her face buried in the morning paper with a cup of tea in her hands, and Rin looked like she was rather bored. "Morning," said Shirou, sliding the door to the hall shut behind him, "Where's Illya?"

Rin shrugged, "Muttered something about ley lines and then ran out the front door before I could ask what she was doing."

Shirou sat down, raising an eyebrow. "Ley lines?" he asked, "Like the ley lines for..." he cut his sentence short, eyeing Taiga, who seemed to not even be paying attention.

"I can only assume," said Rin, immediately picking up on the dropped question. "We'll talk about it later, though."

Just as she said that Sakura walked from the kitchen with three plates. Two in her hands and one balanced on her forearm. After setting them on the table she returned to the kitchen to retrieve her own. In but a moment they were all seated for breakfast, but Taiga still had her face buried in the newspaper. "Oi, Fuji-nee." Shirou reached across the table and flicked the paper.

She peaked over it with a glare, "This is important."

"What's got you so riled up?" asked Shirou.

Instead of answering, she set the paper on the table and pointed to a particular article. It was mostly about the incidents of people being murdered, vanishing, and falling into temporary comas a month before. Shirou raised an eyebrow, "What's got you so invested in what happened a month ago?"

"Keep reading."

He sighed and did as he was told, then he came upon the second half of the article. The writer, whose name he did not catch, mentioned that the reason they were bringing up the incidents from a month ago is because of recent similar events that had been transpiring. Taiga picked up her chopsticks, as if proud of herself, "Looks like a few more people have been passing out, but they're saying it's not as serious as it was a month ago."

Shirou gave a meaningful glance to Rin, who could only shrug in response. For now they could only eat their meal, and would have to speak later.

* * *

Illyasviel von Einzbern did not wish to return to the castle in the forest.

It held only painful memories for her. An empty home without a family, and two maids that could were assigned to care for her but could hardly bring themselves to care _about_ her. It's overall design was different from the castle in the snow, but the architecture and feeling the place exuded were no different. It felt as if she had already been in this giant castle many times, but at the same time it felt like this was the first time she was truly stepping into it.

Illyasviel von Einzbern could not escape her nature. She had felt it when the first and second servants had been summoned. It was impossible, but she had felt it.

She was built for one purpose, and one purpose only, to be a container. A cup does not know when water is going to be poured into it, but what if that cup had a sense of self?

It was a cruel fate that had been bestowed upon her, and yet she had accepted it with grace. After all, that was the only thing she could do when Kiritsugu had not returned. She had been betrayed by the one person she had dared to love like a father, and in return she could only accomplish her mission as an Einzbern.

But... all that had changed.

All that had changed when Berserker fell.

Suddenly, her priorities had shifted. She did not realize it herself, at first, but she had gained a protector much stronger than Berserker.

He had extended a hand to her, and instead of being filled with hatred or pity, it had been filled with love. Pure, undiluted, and incorruptible. She remembered the soft snow, and the piggy back ride, and the laughter. In that single moment she remembered everything that she had tucked away in the back of her mind.

She had never forgotten. No, she was simply afraid to remember, and afraid of the tears that would come.

So she shut herself off, and did what she was told...

At least until that hand was extended.

Illaysviel von Einzbern could not escape her nature. It had only been a month, and she could already feel the pot boiling over. Something higher called to her; something that she couldn't hope to control.

As she entered the main hall Sella and Leysritt, ever dutiful, waited at the bottom of the stair case, as if her return was a matter of course.

"Is it safe?" she asked.

Both maids nodded.

Illya let out a sigh of relief, not because she was now able to fulfill her purpose, but because she would need _it_ to bend her purpose to her own will.

Yes, Illyasviel von Einzbern could not escape her purpose.

However, she could bend it, break it, and even tear out its innards to fulfill what she truly desired.

"Good," she said softly, "Good, you will retrieve it and we will leave this place."

Sella tilted her head, "But..."

Illya held up a hand. "You will follow my orders. As long as the old man is not here he is not the arbiter of my will. No... even then, things have changed too much for him to truly command me like he has until now. You will discard your formal attire and I will introduce you to my brother. Is there a problem with this?"

They were silent. Their only purpose in life was to protect and serve Illya. The old man had never given them any other orders to follow. Protecting Illya was all they knew, and they could accomplish this task easier if they were close to her at all times.

"Acknowledged," said Leysritt.

Illya smiled, "You still serve your purpose, then. Maybe with time you can do more, but we have other priorities. I'm afraid we are running out of time. I was hoping it was something I ate, but that unmistakable feeling has surfaced. As impossible as it is I will soon have to fight for my life, and I can't do that without your help."

Sella frowned, "But it's only been a month, how is that possible?"

Illya bit her thumb and gritted her teeth, "Someone behind the scenes is... forcing the issue. There is no moderator, but I can feel the Grail. With the land not replenishing the lost mana I imagine it's only a matter of time until the soil is rotten and the animals start dying. If it activates fully, I'm as good as dead."

"Is that not your mission?" asked Leysritt.

Illya scoffed, "You should have known better than to think I would keep running that fool's errands. I learned many things from my brother, but the main thing I have learned is that the Grail is in great disrepair. It is a far cry from the wonder of magic that it used to be. Even if I wanted to complete the old man's mission it has become absolutely impossible. Since it has come to this, I would much rather live, even if it's only for a short time."

Sella and Leysritt looked at each other, not quite understanding the situation they had been caught up in. Illya was defying the very thing she had been created for. She was casting aside her only purpose for living for something strange that they did not understand. Perhaps... they would understand if they were at her side once more. Stumbling upon the trivial thought that even a primary schooler could figure out, they viewed it as an epiphany of their entire existence, and simultaneously nodded to each other.

"Very well," said Leysritt.

"We will live with you and your brother," said Sella, "Please excuse me while I retrieve my lady's attire."

With that, Sella turned and walked up the stairs to go get what Illya had come here for. "The dress of Heaven," she whispered to herself, "It's been a while since I've seen it."

"I am afraid that's as far as you'll go."

Illya froze when the decrepit old voice had reached her ears. She knew he was behind her, but she dared not turn around, any action that he didn't take a liking to would mean her death. Those worms that he was so fond of would consume her, chewing, crunching, biting.

Before, when she had no emotion, it would not have affected her.

Now, however, it sent a shiver down her spine.

She locked eyes with Leysritt, who had already summoned her halberd. Their next move would end in either escape or death for Illyasviel von Einzbern.

On the bright side, despite the worms baying for her flesh, if Illya could get out of range she would be perfectly safe. The old man was dying. She could smell it in the air. It smelled like years worth of sewage gushing up from an old broken pipe system, rolling over the three day old corpses of animals decaying under the sun.

The old fool was dying, and could not cast an offensive spell to save his life.

However, they were much too close, she could almost feel them writhing behind her.

"You are not the only container, but I would prefer to keep you alive. I've already improvised too much for my liking."

"Matou Zouken," she growled under her breath, "You couldn't leave well enough alone."

"Though I do have to admit I did not expect you to come here. Your maids would have been easily consumed by my worms, but it would be rather shameful for you to die here Illyasviel. I would like it if I could keep those that are useful alive."

Not caring about the worms any longer, and consumed by her own anger, she turned to face her assailant with a cold glare. There he stood, cane in hand, surrounded by those disgusting lust worms.

He was hesitating.

"Leysritt," she said softly, "Go and make sure Sella and the dress are safe."

"But... my lady..."

"Go!"

Leysritt flinched, but did as she was told, turning to clear the stairs in a single bound.

Zouken raised an eyebrow, "Oh ho~. You have more spirit than I remember. Where'd this fire come from, Illyasviel?"

"None of your business."

She took a step back, and the worms did not encroach on her. 'It appears he really does want to take me alive,' she thought, 'I can use that.'

"I expected this to be simple," he said with a sigh. "Now that your Berserker is not protecting you I thought you would come quietly. After all, I would not get in the way of what Illyasviel von Einzbern truly desired."

She took another step back and reached up to her own head, grasping a strand of hair.

"Unless," continued the old mage, "What you desire has changed."

She pulled, feeling a slight sting as the strand of hair was detached from her head, "Tell me," she said, "Can you really keep up with me?" In the next instant the strand of hair took shape into a small bird of light.

Zouken sighed and smiled, as if regretful of something, "I am afraid those days are long past. I could not fight you even if I desired."

"Then why are you here?"

The old man chuckled softly, "Oh child, so full of hope. Who said that I was the one who would be fighting?"

Illya's eyes widened, then the second servant that she felt summoned was...

"Ah, I see by the fear on your face that you've figured it out. Assassin, please take care not to kill her."

Illya, with speed she did not know she possessed, pulled two more strands of hair from her head and set the birds to be sentries around her.

"Your Zelle will not save you," said Zouken.

Assassin was a class that would take her down as soon as she let her guard slip. She could not let that happen. She slowly walked backwards, her Zelle swirling around her as if they were a shield. She felt the intent of the attack before she heard it.

She dove to the side in an attempt to escape the oncoming blow. One of her Zelle shattered, and she felt blood spill from her left arm.

Zouken laughed once more, "How spirited. I did not expect you to last after the first attack. Please surrender Illyasviel, it would not do to damage the container any further than is necessary."

She sat up, taking a deep breath and plucking two more hairs, surrounding herself with four Zelle. That was how she would get away. He was too hesitant.

Assassin was meant to kill instantly, not incapacitate. All she had to do was take advantage of the fact that Matou Zouken preferred her alive. There was one place with seals strong enough to keep out even a servant. It was the room by the main stairwell. Before the Grail War had even started, the Einzebern's had prepared the room for the summoning ritual, much like the one in their home castle.

If Illya had not been able to control Berserker, or if she had died, they needed another summoning point.

With the ley lines of Fuyuki being heavy with mana, being able to summon a ditch effort servant would have been child's play.

It was a room Illya herself had forgotten about until now. Another set of stairs curved down into the chamber where the backup servant would be summoned. The room had many magical seals placed on it to control a Berserker class servant before the contract was sealed, so all she had to do was close the door behind her and she would be safe from Zouken and his Assassin.

This wasn't a fight for her mission, or a fight to become the grail.

This wasn't a fight to get revenge on the father who abandoned her.

This was a fight for survival.

If she didn't make it home on time her brother would be worried. She smirked, standing once more, even though she could not feel her left arm. 'Must be poison,' she thought, 'Even with my body... if I don't get a move on he'll capture me with no issues.'

"I'll ask again, Illyasviel, before I render you unable to speak and move. Who is it that gave you this fire? Were you not resigned to fate before the fifth war had even begun?"

She took a deep breath. A simple explosion would knock her towards the door, but if she miscalculated even a bit it would blow her limbs from her body. It was the only option she had available to her, however. Even if she was physically fit, which she was not, she could not outrun Assassin on her short legs.

She muttered under her breath. "Zelle, berechnen." One of the birds circling her began to glow brighter.

"I'm nothing special," she said softly, bringing a hand to her chest. "I was born to do one thing, and that was to die to make way for someone else's silly dream."

Illya did not feel the presence from before. Zouken was letting her speak.

So she kept talking. "I was the result of hundreds of failed homunculi, discarded like trash after they were deemed not good enough. But then... I started to think I could have a normal life. My mother and father both... at least appeared to cherish me greatly, until my father left. He never returned, and I began to hear whispers of how much he hated me. The old man told me that he abandoned me. Mom died, and everyone told me it was because he had killed her. When I started to believe them they took me deep into the castle and started to cut me open. They messed around with my insides, because in their eyes I wasn't quite perfect enough. I wasn't good enough to do the job they wanted me to do.

"Even then, I kept thinking he would come back for me. By the time the Fifth Grail war came I only had Berserker. As long as he protected me, everything would be okay. Then, a miracle happened. Someone stronger than Berserker promised to protect me."

"Emiya," growled Zouken, "That annoying boy."

"Maybe Onii-chan can be annoying," she said with a smile, "But I won't give up, because if he was here now... he wouldn't give up either."

Zouken sighed. "How disappointing. I never thought I'd hear such sentimental hogwash from you Illyasviel."

"That's why you'll lose," she said softly.

"Hm?"

"You don't have anyone, do you?" Zouken's eyes narrowed at the simple accusation, and Illya continued, "You don't have anyone to pick you up when you fall, or comfort you when something goes wrong."

"Enough talking then."

"I'm going to kill you, oji-san. You'll lose this war."

"Assassin..."

Before he could finish his command, Illya took a deep breath, "Erweitern."

An explosion rang through the main hall of Illya's castle.

Illya felt her feet leave the ground, but she could not hear or see what was happening. By the time she regained her senses she could hear Zouken yelling, but she had no time to decipher what he was saying. Assassin was a servant, and would be on top of her without hesitation. She scrambled to her feet, even if everything burned.

Even if her muscles stopped working.

Even if she lost her sight.

Even if all she could hear was ringing...

She had to make it to that door.

It was her only chance of survival.

Illya grasped for a knob desperately, and gasped when she found it and pushed it down. She fell into the stairwell, tumbling down the first few steps before regaining her footing and charging down them of her own will.

Her sight and hearing started to come back, and her left arm was now soaked with blood.

She could not let that stop her.

If she hesitated for even a moment it would be over.

Somehow she made it to the end of the stairs, and somehow she opened the final door and slammed it behind her. She scrambled to the other end of the room, where four pillars surrounded an outcropping of tiles stood, and fell to her knees. She started taking deep breaths to regain her composure and stamina.

She had never been built for running or combat. It's why her familiars were designed around defense.

If she had been a regular mage she might have had a chance against Assassin, but she could not defend herself against something that she couldn't see.

'No matter,' she thought. 'I'm safe, at least for now. I just have to...'

"A valiant effort, but ultimately pointless."

The voice echoing through the summoning room was not Zouken's. It was higher pitched, and held a tinge of insanity.

"I have to admit you caught me by surprise, but this little chase has to come to an end now. It's a shame that old man wants you alive. Your eyes are... beautiful."

The voice shuddered, as if suppressing its own sick sexual desire.

Illya stood and turned, looking around the room for the source.

"Such a shame really. If you had shut that door behind you a second sooner your little plan would have worked, but I guess you're stuck in here with me now." The voice cackled.

She felt something pierce her right arm and fell back, "Urgh..."

"I guess I'll just have to paralyze you, since you're not willing to come with."

She fell to the ground, her whole body going numb.

'Ah, this is it then,' she thought.

She rolled and stared at the ceiling above her. 'They're going to take me, and then I'll become the Grail.'

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was probably inevitable anyways. Part of her had always known she couldn't escape. That final fleeting hope that Emiya Shirou had given her had been dashed against the rocks mercilessly.

All it took was one old man with an agenda, just like her grandfather.

Her threat against Zouken now rang hollow in her mind. Her promise to personally kill him meant little when she was lying on the floor, helpless. 'I'm sorry Onii-chan... I tried to be like you, but I wasn't built for it.'

Her head fell to the side, and her gaze met the floor she was laying on. "What's... this?"

She suddenly felt warm, and all her worries vanished.

She recognized this feeling.

The fire that had almost been put out a moment ago rose once again within her.

'I can't let it end like this.'

Even if her body was broken.

Even if she couldn't feel her limbs.

Even if it was hard to move.

"I know it's selfish," she said, rolling over and bringing herself to her knees and hands, "I know I have no right to ask you for help after everything that happened."

"Oh? What's this? Still moving?" said Assassin, his laugh echoing through the room.

"But I need you again..."

The floor beneath her flashed as her od flowed from her body and into the faded seal below her.

"BERSERKER!"

The room flashed, and a roar full of rage echoed through the forest surrounding her castle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Heaven's Feel**

"Phew." Lillian Grey was tired, and had fallen victim to a very nasty case of jet lag. The airport she had arrived in was very stuffy and crowded, and she had a hard time navigating her way through the crowd. Luckily, she had somehow emerged on the other side of things in one piece, and now found herself standing outside and waiting for a bus as the sun set. This bus would take her to New Fuyuki, where the Grail War system had been put into place.

Truth be told, she was interested in the Grail. An artifact, or maybe a mystic code, that could grant any wish was something any mage worth their salt would be interested in. Still, even with summoning the servants part of her felt that it was too good to be true.

Yes, she was interested, but her purpose, her mission in Fuyuki, was for purely investigative purposes.

"You look pensive."

She jumped and brought a hand to her chest, "Bloody hell." She turned and glared at Archer, who had dawned a simple green T-shirt and a pair of jeans. "Who told you that you could show your face around here? And where did you get those clothes?"

"Oh these?" He looked down at himself and smirked, "With how crowded it was in there it was pretty simple to take some clothes from the luggage in the retrieval area."

Lillian rolled her eyes, _'Of all the servants I could have summoned I had to get stuck with the thief.'_

Archer grinned and crossed his arms, letting out a low whistle, "So this is Japan, huh? Nice place."

Lillian turned to him with a frown, "From this point forward we'll have to speak the local language. Since you're from the Throne of Heroes I trust that you know it?"

"Like I was born speaking it."

"Very good then. Now, it is time to lay down some ground rules."

"Already with the tyranny, Master? I spend my entire life fighting authority and now you boss me around like this?"

"Shush, these are important. Rule number one, I will help you win the grail so long as you help me with my investigation. We are here to find out what that old man wants, understand?"

Archer nodded, "So far as this goes, my dear, we are in complete agreement. Even the way he wrote letters was disgusting. I would not trust him if I were in your boots, either."

"Rule number two, do not involve the local populace, and if we run across a master that does not agree with this sentiment, we take the appropriate course of action."

"So far so good."

"And the last rule..." She turned to Archer and looked him dead in the eye, "Target only the servants. Do not kill the masters unless it is absolutely necessary. If we can create a situation where the master must give up their command seal this is also acceptable."

"And if the master decides he wants to go on a killing spree?"

Lillian smiled, "That would be a case of 'absolutely necessary', would it not?"

"Understandable limitations for those with a moral compass. However, considering my class and the way I am used to fighting, we will have to take certain precautions."

* * *

Assassin was no longer talking. The sheer physical and mental pressure the servant had just been summoned was producing was enough to silence even him. Illya struggled to her feet, the numbness in her limbs and body fading as it was replaced by the ever present pain of Berserker's presence. With time, this pain would fade, but as a fresh summon it was still sharp.

She had no time to worry about such things, however.

Berserker stood in front of her, a living wall against anyone or anything that would harm its master. "I'm happy to see you again," she said with a small smile. Then, she took a deep breath, "You have two choices, Assassin. You can fight, or you can leave here with your head still attached to your body."

"Big words coming from the little lady who was backed into a corner a moment ago."

"Ah, so you _can_ still speak," she said with a light chuckle. "This is reassuring. It also means that you can scream. Berserker..." She leaned forward, linking her hands behind her back and smiling like a little girl who had just gotten a new toy, "Kill him."

Berserker's gaze fell on the far west corner of the room, and he let out a low rumble.

"How did he..."

Assassin's sentence was not finished, because Berserker's ax was firmly planted where he had been invisible but a moment ago. His disguise had been thwarted, so now he was clearly visible. After dodging the attack he stood across from Illya. He was fairly tall as far as servants go, and wore a long duster with a slightly dirty suit underneath, complimented by a top hat. It was hard to make out his facial features in the darkness of the room, but from what Illya could see they were rather sharp.

She would even go so far as calling him handsome had he not been chomping at the bit to murder her.

"You're becoming a nuisance," said Illya, "Onii-chan will be worried if I don't get back home on time. It would be convenient if you just let my Berserker crush you."

Assassin smirked, pulling a knife from his coat. It seemed to be a normal knife, but Illya could tell it was not. Maybe it had no name or no discernible features, but it was still a noble phantasm.

"As a class," said Assassin, "I'm no good at straight on encounters, but I can still go for the Master."

Illya smirked, "Are you sure that's the wisest course of action?"

As if to emphasize her question, Berserker landed in front of her, facing down the now visible servant. "Sure, there's a chance you could make it past Berserker, despite his speed. Maybe you even could cut my throat with that knife you have, but you'd instantly be flattened by Berserker as I lay dying, and whatever Zouken is planning would be set back quite a bit I imagine."

Assassin gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on the knife he was holding, "The old man doesn't need you. You would just make his job easier."

"True." Illya brought a finger to her chin, "But you would be dead, and I'm sure that would be another setback that he couldn't afford."

"Then I just have to kill your servant. He is a Berserker, and is only adept at fighting what is in front of him." With that final word, Assassin once more vanished from thin air.

Illya let out a soft chuckle, "You are welcome to try."

In the next moment, as if out of nowhere, Berserker's body almost burst into a blood fountain. Some of the blood fell onto Illya's shoes, and she simply rolled her eyes, _'Now Sella and Liz will have to buy a new pair.'_

Despite his wounds, Berserker let out a mighty roar, and swung around wildly. With a low thud, his arm had hit something.

The "Oof" that Illya heard in that moment was rather satisfying. She heard a crash, and on the wall to her left a large indent appeared, scattering brick and dust. She smirked, "Ah, there you are."

She pulled a hair from her head. "Zelle. Degen."

In the next moment, her hair took the shape of a large sword, and shot towards the indent.

The crunching of flesh and bone, and the fresh blood spouting forth onto the sword, let her know that she had hit her mark.

"Oh my, Sella and Leysritt will probably be angry with me for damaging the manor in this way. But..." she raised her hand, "I'm sure if they know I summoned Berserker again they'll understand."

The mighty Heracles charged at his pinned foe.

A voice intruded Assassin's head. _"Assassin, it is time to retreat. We cannot win this battle. We must reassess. We have... other options."_

Illya's Zelle shattered, and Berserker's ax was brought down, crushing the wall, but not flesh.

Illya sighed, "How boring. Come Berserker, let's get Sella and Liz and go home."

* * *

By the time Illya had returned to the Emiya manor the sky was already red and everyone was home from school. She knocked on the door, deciding it would be better to have someone answer than walk in with two people no one in the house knew and bleeding from both her arms.

To her surprise it was Rin who opened the door. Better her than Fujimura or Sakura. It would be harder to explain her condition to someone not involved.

"Illya, oh God you're bleeding, what happened to you?" Rin rushed out from the lobby of the house and knelt down. She pulled a couple of jewels from her pockets and set to work in sealing the cuts and patching the clothing. "We can't let Fujimura-sensei see you like this or she'll throw a fit."

Illya blushed, not used to having people other than Shirou fawn over her like this. "It's... it's nothing. I ran into a bit of trouble at the manor."

"What were you doing there, and uh... who are those two behind you?" She looked up at the two women standing at either side of Illya.

They were both the same height, and both had silver hair and red eyes much like Illya, but the difference was night and day. "I am Leysritt." Leysritt had dawned a simple shirt and shorts with a pair of sneakers, cutting her hair to shoulder length and slightly curling it.

Sella had decided to wear a dress-like apron, and tied her hair into a simple side tail. "I am Sella. Don't mind my sister Leysritt. She is still not used to... thinking."

Leysritt turned to stare at Sella. "Please do not be alarmed when I cook your lunch next time."

Sella frowned, "What does that mean?"

Rin smiled and shook her head as Illya's wounds closed under the shine of her gems. "More homunculi? Isn't one enough?"

"These two are still works in progress," said Illya with a small laugh, scratching her cheek. "Listen, we need to sit down and talk with Onii-chan. It's really important."

Rin nodded, "Okay, that takes care of the wounds and the blood stains, but we'll still have to get you new clothes. I can't patch them up out of thin air."

"Thank you Rin." Illya stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the girl.

Rin's face went red, "Erm... it... Emiya-kun would freak out if I didn't do it."

Illya giggled, "Whatever you say."

* * *

Sakura and Fujimura had been told not to wait up, and the three of them, four if one counted Berserker in spirit form, were now in Rin's living room, sitting around her table. The sun had just finished setting, and it was much darker outside. Illya took a deep breath, "I suppose I should start from the beginning. All of you already know I was to be a container for the grail. A 'Lesser Grail' if you will. The Einzberns made me with that specific purpose in mind. However, what you don't know... is the way the grail really works, and what its true purpose is."

Shirou frowned, "Is? Not was? I thought we..."

"Destroyed it? Yes, you did. At the very least you destroyed the physical manifestation of the grail. The magic circle underground that activates it, however, is still very much present."

Rin's eyes widened, "Wait, you're telling me that it's not a spiritual artifact, but an invocation? How is that possible?"

"Because the name Holy Grail is a falsity in itself. Well, almost a falsity anyways. It's true that whoever wins the war has access to the Grail's power. Even in its currently corrupted state it could probably grant any wish the user so desired. But... that isn't the whole truth. Have either of you ever heard the name Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern?"

Shirou shook his head, but Rin nodded. "Yes," she said, "But only while looking up the background of your family. Sadly, there aren't many written records."

Illya nodded, "It makes sense. It's been well over two hundred years, and I doubt the Einzberns would want the truth to get out. Considering that I have a new home, and a new family, I don't much care what the Einzberns want anymore, so I'm simply going to tell you. The Holy Grail War was never meant to be a war at all."

Shirou raised an eyebrow, "So all that fighting, the summoning of the seven servants and the masters killing each other, what was it even for?"

"I want you to reverse your thinking," said Illya, "Instead of thinking of it as a competition, I want you to think of it as a ritual. If it was a ritual, then what would that make the servants?"

"Sacrifices," muttered Shirou.

Illya smiled and nodded, "That's why I like you Onii-chan, you're always quick to hit the nail on the head when you're pushed in the right direction. The Holy Grail is not a Grail at all. It is a gate to the Third Sorcery."

Rin almost choked on her own saliva, "Th... the what?!"

"Many many years ago, before my mother and I had even been conceptualized, the Holy Grail War was simply referred to as the Heaven's Feel ritual. It was a sacrificial ritual meant to open the way to the Third Sorcery. The Einzberns dream has been all about this since the beginning. Justeaze's sacrifice was not enough, despite her being built for that very purpose. The gateway might have briefly opened, but there was not enough time to garner anything from it."

Rin clenched her fists and began to shake, gritting her teeth. "You're telling me... that we've just been manipulated all this time?"

Illya shook her head, "Not entirely. Three others took part in the original ritual. Makiri, Tohsaka, and Zelretch were all present. I don't know exactly what's happened over the past few hundred years, but I can only assume that the three families drifted apart, and the true purpose of the ritual forgotten to all minus a select few. The reasoning for the summoning of the heroic spirits is simple. Because a homunculus was not enough to open the gate, the Einzbern's surmised that they simply needed more energy, so they devised the summoning system. The servants could not simply be summoned with all their original abilities. It would take far too much mana. The three mage families found a way."

"The class system," said Shirou, "Even though Saber was the one and future king, she must have been capable in combat with more than a sword, but her best weapon was Excalibur, so she was narrowed down to being able to use only that weapon."

"Precisely. Every grail war a new homunculus was created to bear the burden of being the sacrifice; the lesser grail. That's me. Each time a servant dies I am filled with their energy, their essence. I can feel the servants when they're summoned, and I can feel it when they die. The reason I am a homunculs is so I can bear this burden. To put seven heroic spirits into a normal human's body would spiritually and mentally break them. There is no room for that many separate wills to be contained within a single person, even a powerful magus."

"So why all this now?" asked Rin. "The magic circle might be there, but the manifestation of the Holy Grail sucks the mana directly from the ley lines. There needs to be at least a few years in between each war or the land itself will suffer."

Illya nodded, "Indeed, but already there is another war. Three servants have already been summoned. Berserker is here right now."

Rin sighed, "Please don't make him appear."

Illya giggled, "I wouldn't dream of it. Your house is gorgeous, and I would not want to break it. Anyways, because of the land's depleted mana source, our best course of action is to figure out what's going on. If things go on like this then Fuyuki will be a barren wasteland. Trees and grass will rot, animals and people will start dying due to mana deprivation, and worse yet... the ley lines will wither. If it goes too far, this land will be destroyed forever."

Shirou gritted his teeth, "Who would do something like this?"

"Someone who reeks of desperation and death," said Illya, "Matou Zouken."

"Wait," said Shirou, standing up, "Sakura's family is still involved?"

"Yes," said Illya, "And that is precisely the reason we should act quickly." Illya took a deep breath and stood from her seat. "Onii-chan... you need to summon a servant. Rin Onee-chan as well, if possible. For every remaining slot that our alliance fails to fill, that is another enemy that will stand in the way of the destruction of the Holy Grail."

* * *

 _"I love you."_

They had been simple words. three words that hardly took any effort at all to pass her lips. Much less effort than she had thought, anyways.

Her entire life she had sacrificed the very core of her true self to fulfill her duty, and yet it was not enough.

She gazed on over the field of grass and flowers, and in the distance she could see the silhouette of another person. Excited to see him again, she began to run forward, almost tripping over her own feet several times. As she drew closer, her excitement began to make way for confusion. Then, when she finally realized who it really was, she tilted her head. "Merlin?"

The old sorcerer turned to her and smiled, "Ah. Hello Arturia. I've been waiting for a long time." With a grunt, he sat down in the grass, and patted the spot next to him. "Please have a seat. This is a place of beauty and relaxation. I'm sure that having you be tense and confused is not its purpose."

She nodded, and sat next to the old wizard on her knees, still not able to break the habit she had formed during her time with Shirou.

Merlin raised an eyebrow, "That is an interesting way to sit."

She blushed, "A new habit."

A moment of silence passed as the two gazed out towards the horizon. "You can have anything you want here. The fact that you have chosen these simple plains with green grass and a blue sky is a beautiful thing in itself," said Merlin.

Arturia nodded, "I... wanted to keep it simple for now."

"An admirable thought, but things are about to become... complicated. You are not a part of the throne of heroes, but you should still be able to do something. What was the legend again?"

"That I will return when I am needed."

Merlin chuckled. "Ah yes, the once and future king. A very good tale if I do say so myself."

"But..."

"Emiya Shirou, yes?"

"How did you know his name?"

"This old wizard still has a trick or two up his sleeve. You will have to take advantage of your love for him."

She blushed once more, looking at the ground. It was never fair how the wizard simply knew everything, and she never knew how he did it. She thought she was used to it by now, but his casual comment about her relationship with Shirou caught her off guard.

"Did you know that there are many different worlds?" asked Merlin, changing the subject. "In one, you might be stuck her for eternity, never seeing him again."

"That would not be Avalon," she said softly.

Merlin nodded, "Indeed it would not, but the possibility is there. But who knows? Avalon could be different. I'm not entirely sure how I got here in the first place, but I'm sure with a bit of practical application I can find my way back out. Besides, what I've come here to tell you is far more important than a lost old man like myself."

"What is it, then? You said I'd be able to do something."

"The plan is a bit shaky, but I should be able to conjure something to make it work."

She smiled. "You always speak as if you are not sure of yourself, but you have a fool proof plan, don't you? Tell me what you came here for."

Merlin looked her dead in the eyes, and then sighed, "I am afraid that Excalibur was not as thorough as it could have been. That little conflict you got yourself involved in is starting once more."

Arturia's eyes widened, and she was filled with a feeling of dread.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Realta Nua**

The next day was spent cleaning out Shirou's shed to make room for the summoning ritual. Since they had the day off school it wouldn't be an issue. Rin had prepared several gems for him, just in case his own limited supply of circuits wasn't enough.

"The servant you get will be random," said Rin, holding up her pointer finger as she gave an explanation. "The incantation you will recite will be one I've written for you. Don't add anything to it, don't stutter, and do not hesitate while inciting it, understood?"

Shirou picked up another box and looked around his workshop. Rin had been bugging him to clean it up and really get some magecraft going inside of it, but he never really had the inclination until that moment. After the floor was clear he looked down and saw the magic circle that had summoned Saber. He sighed with a tinge of regret.

"Shirou," said Rin, placing a hand on his shoulder, "She's not coming back. The deal she had was special."

He nodded, "Yeah... I know."

Rin sighed. "Anyways, There are four classes left you can obtain. Illya said Archer, Assassin, and her Berserker are the ones that have been summoned so far. That leaves you with a possibility of Saber, Caster, Rider, and Lancer. You'll be standing in the middle of the circle. Since we don't have a catalyst you're using your own mana to summon a servant. Before the sun sets I'm going to run some mana through your unused circuits and teach you how to turn them on and off. This way you won't have to worry about them falling out of use again. You'll probably feel numb around your unused circuits at first, but the mana therapy we were planning will take care of that."

"Will I be able to supply mana to my servant?"

Rin shook her head, "It's not that simple, I'm afraid. All this will do is make sure you get through the ritual without passing out or killing yourself by accident. We'll cross the mana bridge when we get to it, but if we're lucky and it's a female servant then we might not have to." She grinned and brought a hand to her face with a giggle, "Unless... you don't want to cheat on Saber."

Shirou blushed and looked away, "You really need to do something about that nasty personality of yours."

* * *

"So, tell me what we are doing here in the middle of the day again?" Archer's question was muffled by the spoonful of pudding he had been enjoying at the time, but he hoped that it was not enough to get on Lillian's nerves. Much to his chagrin, her response was to turn and give him a glare. Instead of answering, she simply pointed at the large house in front of them. The word house may have been a bit of a stretch, as it was almost large enough to be declared a mansion. It was clearly styled after western homes, and had the gate for it as well.

"Like I said," said Lillian, "We are here to investigate. Considering as Tohsaka is the caretaker of this city it only makes sense that we go see her."

Archer, finally finishing his pudding, tucked the plastic spoon into the small container and nodded at her, "Right. It does make sense, so why are we just standing out here, woman? Sally forth!"

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I'm not going to just carelessly walk onto another mage's property. There could be a boundary field or something! We have to take care. Considering the size of the property there's probably an intercom by the gate."

"That still does not explain why we are standing here," quipped Archer.

"Fine." Lillian took a deep breath and stepped forward. "What's the worst that could happen?" she muttered to herself, "We're already in the middle of a life and death competition, so why not go all out with every risk involved?"

"If it makes you feel any better," said Archer, falling into step behind her, "There are no enemy servants about."

As both of them made it to the gate Lillian stepped to the side, hoping there would be an intercom. Sadly, there was not. She let out a sigh, running mana through her hand just in case, and laid it on the metal gate.

No reaction.

She let out a breath of relief and pushed the gate open. "It looks like there's no protection in place," she said, "At least not out here." Finally trotting up to the front door, she knocked on it three times, "Tohsaka!" she shouted, "I'm from the association, I've come to talk!"

Archer rolled his eyes, "Yes, that will surely get her to come out and have a word with you."

Her face reddened, "It's not my fault the association is unappealing!"

Before she could shout any further Archer clamped a hand over her mouth, "Be silent. I take back what I said earlier, we have a visitor."

He turned towards the front gate and his eyes narrowed. Before Lillian could even process what was happening Archer had released her and already had a bow in his hands, notched with an arrow.

His Noble Phantasm, the Yew bow, was a beautiful weapon. It looked as if it were cut by the finest craftsmen in the world. Runic symbols, some of which she could recognize as simple enchantments, were carved into its entire length. It wasn't a weapon that radiated with pure unbridled power like a holy sword, but rather a thing of simple grace and beauty, crafted from humble beginnings.

"I know this," he whispered, "Skulking in the shadows, taking out the enemy when they are unaware of your presence. It brings back old memories... Assassin."

They heard a low whistle, "Veeerrry nice. You have me pegged while I'm not even visable. I have not come here for a fight though, merely to give you a warning. The Tohsaka girl is not to be trusted. She is a snake that slithers in the grass."

With that one sentence Assassin's presence vanished, and Archer lowered his bow. "I don't think I'll be trusting anyone that has anything to do with this war, actually," he said.

"Agreed," said Lillian. "The grail is the prize. A prize worth killing for in the eyes of a normal magus."

Archer grinned, his bow vanishing into thin air, "So you're not normal, are you?"

She scoffed, "I let you walk around with me, don't I?"

"I thought that was because of my charming personality. Anyway, now that the nuisance is out of the way we can get down to business." Archer left the front door and went to the nearest window.

Lillian's jaw dropped when he started digging through his pocket, "What are you doing?"

Archer simply winked and pulled out a small key, "Taking advantage of the great gifts my life has bestowed on me. Take, for example, the key that can open any lock." Even though there was no keyhole, simply pressing the key against the window was enough to get it to click open. Archer hopped in immediately. "Well come on, woman! We haven't got all day. Surely this girl will be returning home soon!"

Lillian growled under her breath and ran to the window, hopping up and over far less gracefully than Archer had.

They were greeted by the sight of a large living room area covered in boxes. Archer brought a hand to his chin, "Hmm, looks like someone's moving out. Let's go fishing."

Lillian simply sighed when Archer started shuffling through the nearest box.

"Jewels, incense, yadda yadda." Items clattered to the floor as he carelessly tossed them aside. "Books and more books. Oooooo, luck of the draw." He pulled what appeared to be a small leather bound book from the box, a large grin on his face. He opened it without hesitation. "Hmmm, looks like notes for her magely duties." He turned the page a few times, "But they all appear to be about the same person. 'Study the layout of Emiya's circuit. Apply mana therapy. Find affinity, teach basic offense and defense. Set up new boundary field.' Looks like she took on an apprentice. And by the way her notes are absolutely consumed by him she seems rather fond of the ol' chap."

Lillian tilted her head, bringing a finger to her chin, "Emiya... why do I feel like I've heard that name before?"

"Well it doesn't matter much, at least for now. If we find this Emiya fellow, then we find our presumably gorgeous overseer."

* * *

Merlin had parted from her with one final word of advice. "I want you to think long and hard about exactly what it is you want Arturia. Not as King Arthur, not as the wielder of the holy blade Excalibur, and not as a warrior. I want you to think as yourself, as the girl Arturia, who happens to be quite proficient with a blade. You've already cast aside your worries and moved on once. Otherwise you would not be here in Avalon, but old habits die hard, and I would hate to see you fall back into them.

"I want you to think on where you are, how you got here, and where you'll go from here. Will you continue to wait for him, or will you follow the legend? Furthermore, will you follow the legend because it is your duty, or will you do it for him? He has more power than he knows, and it would be up to you to show him what he is capable of."

And so, Arturia sat and thought about what she wanted for the second time in her existence. It was still something she was getting used to, but it was a good feeling, to be selfish every once in a while.

Yes, her business was unfinished. Yes, her duty compelled her to take action. Yes, she was bound by an oath to protect.

However, more than any of that, was a small selfish feeling deep inside her heart. It was not a corruption, or anything that would ruin her radiance as King. No, it was something simple. Something that she had been denied her whole life, but gained after her death.

It was a wish.

A selfish wish, and a human wish.

It was still humble and simple, but it was the first time she asked for something for herself. Her first true wish. Not an idiotic desire to undo her entire life, and not a misguided hope that she would be able to repair what was once broken, or put the sword back into the stone.

Just a warm, small share of happiness.

"I want to see him again."

* * *

After cleaning out the shed, Shirou and Rin went to her room to prepare for the summoning, which mainly entailed making sure Shirou's circuits were all open. Shirou was seated in Rin's chair, his shirt removed just as it had been the other night.

Rin took a deep breath, trying to prevent blood rushing to her face as she planted her hand on his back. "Thanks to the fights against Berserker and Gilgamesh, you're not just using one circuit anymore, but we've still got a long way to go to undo all the damage you did to yourself. Take a deep breath, this is going to sting."

Shirou did as he was told, gripping on the sides of Rin's chair. They were having to rush things, otherwise he would not be able to summon a servant. All he could do was focus on his circuits and try not to think about Rin touching him.

"Okay," said Rin softly, "Please don't start seizing, I don't want you to trash my room. Here it comes."

The first burst of mana was like a rush of heat through his entire body. His brain felt like it switched to the static channel, and for a moment he forgot he was in Rin's room. It wasn't so much painful as it was disorienting.

Through the confusion in the distortion, he heard Rin's soft and caring voice, "Breathe Shirou. I'm right here."

He drew air into his lungs, and then exhaled just as the second burst of mana hit.

He could almost _feel_ his circuits being forced open. An image entered his mind of a dam bursting open, spilling its contents forth and consuming all that lay below it.

Dizziness, numbness, and a migraine all at once.

"One more," said Rin.

This one was like a flash-bang going off. He was temporarily blinded to the world around him.

After a minute he started to regain his vision and the numbness began to fade. Replacing it was a sharp prickle down his back and through both of his arms, as if he were being poked by a thousand sharp needles. Not enough to break skin, but just enough to cause pain and discomfort.

Rin sighed, "Normally mana therapy is more... gentle, but we don't exactly have the time anymore, so I forced mana through your circuits. The tingling should fade after an hour or two. We should do the summoning then. Then we'll have to worry about getting mana to your servant."

Shirou shook his head, "We should do it now. You heard Illya, the longer we wait the less chance we have."

Rin gazed out the window at the sun going down, "Okay," she said, "Before dinner then. Let's do this."

Shirou put his shirt back on and they exited the main building, walking towards his now cleaned workshop. "I'll wait outside," she said, leaning against the wall by the door, "The summon is a very delicate process, and another mage being present might screw it up. When you think about it you're really lucky you had Avalon last time."

He nodded, "Yeah. I guess I'll... get started then."

She narrowed her gaze at him, "Remember, don't skip on the incantation."

"Got it."

Shirou stepped into his workshop, shutting the door behind him and taking a deep breath. As he stepped into the summoning circle, barely lit by the setting sun outside, he wondered what kind of servant he would get. He hoped it would be one half as loyal and strong as Saber.

With yet another deep breath he pulled the gem Rin had given him from his pocket, and began to recite the incantation she had made him memorize. Even for this he was half present. Not enough to mess it up, but enough to where he wasn't paying attention to anything but the circle under his feet.

It began to glow brightly, and as he let the gem fall onto the center of the circle his entire world went blank.

He felt the wind on his face before he felt the grass at his feet.

Opening his eyes, he looked around what appeared to be an endless landscape. Green grass, blue sky, and white clouds as far as the eye could see. However, in that grass were many swords. Swords he had seen. Perhaps in textbooks, dreams, or during the grail war, but he had seen every last one of these weapons.

And they stretched for miles over these beautiful plains.

Only one caught his gaze. He walked forward slowly at first, not quite trusting his own eyes. It sat there, stabbed into the ground, and radiating a light that he had not seen in quite a while.

"Excalibur," he whispered.

In this land of unlimited blades that he had never seen but still recognized, he took pride that this one sword stood out more than the others.

He did not understand why, at least not yet, but the very essence of the sword was ingrained into his soul. It wasn't a perfect copy, nothing in this place was, but just looking at it nearly brought tears to his eyes.

He reached out, and grasped the handle tightly, and a small, soft hand met his. Another soft hand came forward, cupping his own, "It's stunning, isn't it?" asked a feminine voice.

A voice that he recognized, but could not bring himself to look at.

If this was all a dream, then he felt that the soft hands and the voice would vanish if he looked; pulled away by the wind if he dared to lay eyes on her beauty again.

"It is," he said.

"When she gave it to me, she told me that I was the only one she had met that was pure enough to take it. I was so sure of myself when it happened, so I took it as a matter of course. Then... things started to go wrong, and I found myself doubting if I was truly worthy of the weight of this sword; worthy of its power, and its light."

 _"Arturia, the easiest way to see him again is to encroach on his reality. Do not just invade... you must become his inner world. Since you are not a part of the Throne of Heroes, this is the only way. Reality Marbles are things that you normally cannot alter, especially if they have not been summoned. However, here in Avalon, the ever distant utopia, you can truly have anything that you desire. Take advantage of your love, and use it to grant your wish... or don't. You could also simply consider these the ramblings of an old man."_

One of the soft hands reached up to cup his cheek, and it brought his gaze upwards.

She was smiling, and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "Shirou. I'm home."

"... Welcome back."

She leaned in and kissed him, and the reality marble dissolved around them, giving way to the workshop just as the light from the summoning sigil faded away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Shadow**

"What the... hell?"

One would not blame Rin Tohsaka for only being able to utter those words. After all, she had never expected to see that woman again. She also had not expected Shirou to be housing a reality marble, of all things. The day was turning out to be full of revelations that Rin would rather have saved until later.

They already had enough on their plate as is.

When she felt the surge of mana, she forced open the door of the workshop, only to be met with the sight of Shirou and Saber attached at the mouth. It didn't look like they were planning on stopping any time soon, or that they had noticed her presense at all. Rin felt something in her surface, a feeling she would rather have kept locked away.

This month she had been spending with Shirou was special to her. She was helping him cope with the lose he endured, and she was helping him become a mage, a real mage.

Now, of all people that could walk back into his life, his first servant appeared.

Rin was burning with jealousy, but she could also not help the tears of joy that spilled forth.

Saber was alive.

She wiped her face with her sleeve and sniffled a bit, before clearing her throat to announce her presence.

Shirou and Saber's eyes both snapped open, and they pulled away from each other with reddening faces.

"Saber," said Rin with a smile, "Welcome back."

Saber nodded softly.

Rin and Shirou lead her out of the storage shed. This was the first place she had met her master, and as such, it would always be important to her. She had many questions, and many concerns, but for now she felt she should enjoy her time here before anything else.

A sentiment that her past self would no doubt not share.

Rin turned to her, "So how..."

The question fell off.

Saber nodded, "I used Avalon. Not the scabard, the place."

"Speaking of that," continued Rin, "Do you have all your Noble Phantasms related to your Saber summoning, or is it still just Excalibur?"

At the question, Saber looked down. She was still in her armor from being freshly summoned. At her hip was a scabard, Excalibur comfortably sheathed inside. She could not, however, feel the presence of her original sword. "It appears I have the sheath and the holy sword, but not the sword from the stone."

Rin nodded, "That's good enough for me. How about mana?"

Saber frowned, and her armor and weapon faded away, giving way to her casual attire. "I can feel... something, but I'm still not getting a consistent supply."

The sound that Rin let out was a cross between a growl and a whine. It reminded Saber of the goats back home. The girl stared at the servant for a long moment, before finally lurching forward and hugging her. "Jeez! You made us worry, disappearing like that! We need to make sure you can't run off like that again! I'll have to start stocking up jewels so we can sustain you!"

Saber could only let out a surprised laugh, returning the hug. "I... it's alright. I wanted to come back, too. It's why I'm here. I know there are important matters to discuss, but we should relax and enjoy the moment for now."

Rin pulled away and frowned, "So different from when you were first summoned. I agree, though. This is a victory for us in itself. Everything can wait. We now have two servants, and I'll try for a third tonight."

Saber tilted her head, "Yes, I've been wondering what that familiar, imposing presence means."

Rin nodded, "Heracles is here, but Illya has him on a short leesh, don't worry. If he retained any part of himself he would probably be itching for a rematch. I suppose we should count our blessings that he's a Berserker."

The group made their way inside the house, sliding open the door to the dining room.

"Uwa! Saber, you're back!"

Taiga looked up from the dinner table, setting down the paper as she grinned at the welcome presence of their recent friend.

"Yes."

Rin stepped in front of her before she could continue, "She'll be moving into the Emiya household with us for good now. I trust that won't be an issue?"

Taiga let out a boisterous laugh, "No way no way! It's fine!"

Saber tilted her head, "But Rin, what if we can't..."

Rin responded by elbowing her in the side. Considering the strength of a servant, she barely felt it, but it was enough to cut the sentence short.

Before they could continue, Saber felt something pull her sleeve. She looked down and was greeted with an all too familiar face. "I'm glad you came back," said Illya. Saber only smiled. There was no hint of teasing or malice in the girl's voice, and it was easy to tell that she truly meant it.

"Yes," said Saber, kneeling down. "I know we've had our ups and downs, but... that's all behind us now."

Illya nodded, "Yep. Especially since there are more important things to worry about. I bet even my berserker knows that."

Saber chuckled, "Perhaps he does." She stood up and turned to Shirou, "So, are there plans for dinner?"

Rin frowned, "Already planning on eating us out of house and home, eh?"

After dinner Taiga had taken her leave, and the three masters, as well as Saber, all sat around the small table.

"Matou Zouken, you say?" Saber's eyes narrowed. "I'm afraid I don't know much about him, but you say he's behind all of this?"

Illya nodded, "Yes, he already tried to kidnap me. It didn't work out in his favor. I imagine he'll be going to plan B now, and it won't be pretty, whatever it is."

"I'm worried about Sakura," said Shirou, "If he's as bad as you say he is then she isn't just dealing with Shinji anymore."

Rin nodded, "Yeah, it could become a huge issue. Maybe you should ask Sakura to stay here... with us. She'd be a lot safer with two of the best servants and three powerful mages guarding her. We could also ask her if anything funny has been going on at home."

Shirou nodded, "That's a good idea. We have no idea what his next move is going to be, and I don't wanna just charge in blindly with no info."

Rin brought a hand to her mouth, "Oho~, our little Emiya is all grown up. That's a far cry from the stuff you were saying last time."

Before the conversation could continue, Illya's expression went dark. Shirou eyed her curiously, "I... Illya? What's wrong?"

"We've run out of time," she said, "I'm sorry, Rin. Apparently all the slots are filled."

The room fell silent.

Saber and Berserker were two of the most powerful servants, yes, but...

Illya leaned back and took a deep breath. "If Zouken gets desperate he could try summoning the grail with five servants. The more likely outcome is he will try to remove us from the board as soon as possible. I recommend you go see Sakura right now, before he finds out that it's not just Berserker and myself against him. In fact, maybe he already has a hunch, considering I've been living here for a month and you participated last time."

Shirou frowned, "I'll try to spin it. There's been a few murders around her area this past month. If I act like I'm worried and want her away from that area, that would be a good excuse."

Illya raised an eyebrow, "Murders? When did they start?"

"Around a week after the Holy Grail War. The police are saying it might be a serial killer."

"Don't get any ideas Shirou," said Rin, "We have too much to worry about."

"I'm not gonna hunt him down if that's what you're worried about. If I run into him, that's another story..."

Rin rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say."

* * *

"HAHAHA did you see the look on that chick's face?!"

A group of drunken salary-men on their way home after their company drinking session. A normal sight that no one would pay any mind to. They stumbled through the streets of Fuyuki, hanging off each other's shoulders and laughing as loudly as they could.

"She totally thought you were a perv after she heard that joke!"

They were headed home rather late, but it wouldn't be the first time. After all, when one's boss offers to pay, you don't just turn them down. That would be rude.

"Man I'm so glad I have tomorrow off!"

So caught up in their revelry, they would not notice much else.

They did, however, notice when the one leading their group stopped dead in his tracks.

All of them followed suit.

One by one, they all stopped walking, peering and peeking at whatever had caused him to halt.

In front of the group was a shadow. It was not a shadow like the kind they were used to seeing. It was not cast by any light that they could see. In fact, so far as they could tell there was no light to cast it at all. They had not noticed until this moment, but all the street lights on their normal route were not illuminated. The light of the moon had been guiding them as they walked.

It was vaguely humanoid in shape, with a head and a body. However, they could not make out any limbs, much less a face. All the group of men could see was complete blackness.

Again, not cast by light, but rather, absorbing it.

Normally one of them would wave and say hi. They always liked making new friends.

This was an abnormal situation.

As far as they could see, this shadow was not a person.

A cosplay? Perhaps.

Something felt off, though.

Something felt... wrong.

If one were to ask what each of the men thought was wrong, they would not be able to give a clear answer. What they would tell of is a gut feeling, a shiver down the spine, or a sudden onset of nausea.

"H...hey, let's turn around, yeah?" said one of the men, grabbing his friend's should and pulling him back, "We can take the scenic route, man. Let's go through the park."

His friend did not move, so he pulled harder. He felt something wet and warm on his abdomen, and when he looked down he was greeted with the sight of a red smear on his favorite shirt.

It wasn't his blood, at least not yet.

He looked over his friend's shoulder, and his eyes widened in horror.

Guts were spilling from him, blood and mashed organs.

The smell was putrid and sour, and he felt the contents of that night's drinking push themselves up.

He leaned over and puked before he could think to run, and then the screams started.

He heard the crunching of bone, the splattering of flesh. One by one his friends' screams were cut short by gurgles of blood, or simply ceased without warning.

He could not tell if he was still alive, if he was still breathing.

Maybe whatever it was had gotten him too.

Then it was over.

He took a deep breath and slowly stood straight, and there in front of him, in the same spot it always was, was the shadow.

He smelled the blood, but the insides and the bones seemed to have vanished.

No, not vanished.

They had been eaten.

He realized that it would be pointless to run.

He also realized that the only reason he survived the first onslaught was because he had bent over.

One could call it stupid luck.

He did not feel very lucky...

The shadow, after all, was still hungry.

* * *

Sakura woke slowly.

She did not know why, but she had been having terryfying nightmares ever since the Holy Grail War had come to an end. She had been worried for Shirou, but she was right in thinking that Saber would protect him. Even Rin, ever the stoic, had pitched in to help, and she had not been expecting that. The two had drifted apart over the years, but she still wore the ribbon.

It gave her hope.

Almost as much hope as Shirou did.

She sat up in her bed and looked around her room.

It was supposed to be over, she thought.

The Grail was destroyed, her grandfather had even said so.

She was free to do whatever she wanted now.

The usual malice in his voice had not been present when he brought her the news.

 _"It is unfortunate, but I will have to face my death as a mage of the Matou family. You will have to carry on my legacy, Sakura."_

Everything had worked out so perfectly. It was a silly plan. Shirou had summoned such a strong heroic spirit, but she still worried for him. 'One less, if Senpai has to face one less, that would be so much better.' She gave Rider to Shinji, knowing he wouldn't be able to sustain her or use her full power.

It hurt.

Rider was a kind soul, Sakura could tell. She wanted nothing more than to protect her master, but Sakura had sent her into the meat grinder to protect the man she loved.

It was selfish and cruel, and she would do it again without hesitation.

Against all odds, Shirou had come out on top, and all she had to do was pull a few small strings from where she hid, away from the war.

She found it disgusting that her grandfather's habits for manipulating people were rubbing off on her, but she convinced herself that it was okay if it was to protect someone.

It also helped Rin.

She was afraid she would have to choose between Shirou and her sister. Both people she cared deeply about, facing off against each other in a brutal battle, but her worries turned out to be just that. Rin was not like her. She didn't have a mean bone in her body, despite the facade she showed other people. Rin was more like Shirou than she would ever admit. She was a much more practical person, but if she saw someone in trouble she would always help if she were capable of doing so.

Even if the person in trouble was one she was supposed to be fighting.

It made Sakura deeply happy that Rin was still the same. It meant that they could reconcile.

However, at the same time...

She may have been a bit jealous.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the doorbell sounded through the house.

She shuffled out of her bed and got dressed.

She had not seen her grandfather ever since he told her of the grail. it was her who answered the door now, who went out grocery shopping.

The basement... that horrible basement, had been sealed off with magic.

Maybe it really was over now.

'So then why the nightmares?' she thought as she descended the stairs and made her way to the front door, 'Why do I have this horrible, nagging feeling that it's just the beginning?'

All her worries and thoughts fled her as she opened the door. "S... Senpai? What beings you out here this late at night?"

"I uh..." He brought his hand to his cheek and scratched it. Her eyes widened when she saw a bandage on it.

No, it couldn't be, she was just being paranoid.

Shirou continued, "There's been a lot of crime around here lately. I thought I should come and check up on you. You usually go home pretty late because of archery practice, and I've been kinda worried."

Sakura could feel heat rising to her face.

He was always so kind.

"I... I've been okay. I always go straight home after practice, and I make sure all the doors are locked."

"Well..." he sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "If you want, you could stay at my place. It's closer to the school and we could walk home together."

Sakura beamed, "I would love to! Let me get my things." She shut the door and retreated into the house.

Shirou sighed, "Haven't seen her this cheerful in a while," he muttered.

Yes, everything was going perfectly for Sakura Matou.

Perhaps too perfectly.


End file.
